Wreck Creek
West Gippsland CMA
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Active WGCMA Estuary Management Group
Wreck Creek is a small intermittently closing and opening estuarine lagoon located on the western edge of Inverloch. From the coast the estuary follows Cape Paterson - Inverloch Road towards the Inverloch RACV resort, for approximately 800 metres, before the creek becomes fresh. The creek has two main branches, one that begins well above the RACV resort (including the resorts wetlands) and the other flows out of farmland through the residential area to the north. For the majority of the year two branches of the creek are mostly dry (apart from a few ponds and billabongs that have been sighted on private property upstream). These creeks begin to flow during wet times (winter / spring), and for the majority of the time the main habitat available to biota is the estuarine lagoon itself.
Map
Estuary Values
Plant communities / species (Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) and Bioregional Conservation Significance in Victoria);
- 1 Coastal Dune Scrub Mosaic
- 2 Coast Banksia Woodland (Vulnerable)
- 3 Damp Sands Herb-rich Woodland (Vulnerable)
- 161 Coastal Headland Scrub (Depleted)
Fish identified during sampling in January 2017
- Short-finned Eel
- Common Galaxias
- Spotted Galaxias
- Flatheaded Gudgeon
- Black Bream
- Yellow-eyed Mullet
Significant bird species (Conservation Status Victoria);
- Australasian Shoveler (Vulnerable)
- Black-faced Cormorant (Near Threatened)
- Caspian Tern (Near Threatened)
Estuary Threats
Threats to estuary health include;
- Growing population
- High levels of recreational use
- Unpermitted estuary entrance mouth openings
- Changes in water regimes
- High levels of sediment and nutrients
- Pollution events
- Habitat modification
- Land reclamation through drainage of wetlands
- Invasion by weeds or pests
- Salinization and acidification.
- Degraded water quality
- Disturbance of acid sulphate soils
- Altered marine exchange
- Rural drainage and drain clearing
- Urban drainage and stormwater
- Litter
- Trampling and bank erosion associated with pedestrian access.
Recent Events
No recent estuary events foundView all events
Sites
Wr1 |
Surf Parade Bridge InverlochActive Physico-Chemical 26-05-2016 - 11-02-2025Centre culvert on the downstream (ocean) side of Surf Parade Bridge Observations 97 |
WrGB |
Wreck Creek Gauge Board SiteActive Gauge BoardThe Gauge board is located on the eastern downstream side of the Surf Parade Bridge, right alongside the bridge itself. |
WrMC |
Wreck Creek Mouth Condition SiteActive Mouth Condition 06-04-2017 - 15-04-2021Wreck Creek Mouth Condition Monitoring Site, located at the end of the Wreck Creek access path opposite 178 Surf Parade Inverloch. Observations 69 |
WrMC2 |
Wreck Creek Mouth Opening Number Two (western end)Active Mouth Condition 14-07-2020 - 11-02-2025In April 2020, following a large storm surge event, a new opening was formed at Wreck Creek. There are now two locations where the creek can flow out to sea. This site will be monitored in conjunction with the mouth condition monitoring site established several years ago (further east). Observations 63 |
Wrp1 |
Wreck Creek Photopoint SiteActive Photopoint 07-04-2017 - 14-06-2022Site located at end of beach access path opposite 178 Surf Parade Inverloch. Site located on grassy mound (site of proposed Fluker Post). Photos 222 |
Wrp2 |
Wreck Creek Photopoint Site TwoActive Photopoint 01-06-2020 - 11-02-2025Wreck Creek West end Opening Photos 204 |
Estuary Snapshots
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Mouth Condition Snapshots
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